A Place To Be
by MyMagentaPeach
Summary: Set near the end of summer after Season 2: Blaine is sick of being kept from feeling love, form feeling loved. So he decides to say yes to Kurt and his family and leave the family he was born into behind. If only they would let him go more easily.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Glee.

A/N: Just some things about love.

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><p><strong>A Place To Be<strong>

Chapter 1

He hears and eventually takes in his father's words, in what feels like a time delay caused by a bad Skype connection.

There is no preparing for this, never has been, Blaine realizes only just now.

His father's voice is filled with a kind of certainty that to Blaine appears fanatic, scary and most of all ... cold.

What irritates and upsets Blaine most is that in all of it, between all the names he is called and threats that are made he can still hear his father's conviction that this is all happening out of love, for Blaine, for Blaine's best; to turn him – turn him into a "decent", unhappy, meaninglessly functioning human being.

Blaine feels sick at the thought, the realization coming with it.

Hurting him like this ... is love – is what his parents call love. Everyone needs to be broken and bend, a little, or _a lot_, to deserve it, love, or rather deserve to not be hated on anymore. It dawns on Blaine there and then, he has no idea what his parents' love would even look like.

Blaine thinks it must be the years of practice in deciphering his father's hate directed at him that won't allow him to miss that particularly painful detail now, now that he knows, now that Blaine knows love. Not just the romantic kind with Kurt, but that of a family as well.

Blaine does not only just see anymore but does understand, 'Finally!'

Before him, this is the man this world had introduced to him as his father, seventeen years ago. Blaine, personally, has not once been able to feel this title only remotely accurate or deserved in any sense but the biological.

'Is he really sitting here asking me to leave? After I just, after I already told him I ...'

It is not the words, what Blaine finds himself shocked by most is the expression that accompanies the words, and still echoes their true meaning long after Blaine's father has stopped speaking.

Only after meeting Kurt and his family Blaine had truly realized how twisted it is to bring your child up in the belief that all the pain caused for it is for the child's own good.

'You are not seriously asking me to be thankful for throwing me out, too!' Blaine thinks to himself. 'Wow.'

After staring at his father's face for just a moment longer Blaine says with a stern tone, "If you think this, what you are doing today is an act of love, you really don't know love. You don't even know what it is, do you? This is my decision. I decided to leave, and I won't let you take that from me, not with words or looks, or by your pretending to still be the one in control. I'm done listening to you. You can pretend all you want that this is your great masterplan to make me ... into whatever it is you are going for, but I won't let you have this, not ever. I am done with you two."

Blaine does not wait for any kind of reply, after more than 15 years and with a place to go this time, he is done waiting, asking, begging to be loved in a way he can understand.


	2. Chapter 2

**A Place To Be**

Chapter 2

Blaine turns and grabs his duffel bag, which he had quickly stuffed this morning, after returning from Kurt's home and before confronting his parents a final time, with his most precious belongings, the ones not already at Kurt's place. He has lived more there than here the last two months of summer anyway.

Knowing he had no intention to stay Blaine is prepared in every way, he thinks, ... he hopes.

'I don't want to care about them anymore,' it is a resolution, something he will have to live by for a while until he can truly feel that way.

'Blue,' the sky Blaine steps under as he moves his feet unsteady but determined over the ground outside is the brightest of blue today.

But Blaine does not notice.

'Brilliant, bright, beautiful blue,' Blaine thinks, and smiles as his eyes meet those of the boy leaning against Blaine's car.

"How did it go?" Kurt asks with a bright but serious look on his face.

"I…I just…"

And Kurt hearing the struggle Blaine is still fighting inwardly spilling out in those broken words darts forward pulling Blaine, who instantly lets go of the bag in his hand, into a tight embrace.

Blaine buries his face in Kurt's chest takes a couple of deep breaths and "…I still cannot believe them. I came to them and told them I was leaving, and what is my father's first response…he pretends he did not hear a word I just said and asks me to leave. They think they can just throw me out like an old outworn piece of furniture. I think that is what always upset me the most, Kurt, that they never acknowledged me as a person. I knew I was not entitled to my own thoughts and feelings in that house, but…even as I leave having taken control of my own life…what is the last thing my father does, he has to try and take it being my decision away from me. Control. I sometimes think people don't matter to him in the least. He only cares for controlling them. He does not love my mom, he loves to control her, manipulate her. Why she is with him though I will never understand. I never like to think of her being so shallow as to be staying just for the money, but…I'm running out of more pleasing alternatives, fast."

Kurt hums softly in acknowledgement of his boyfriend's words, and traces soothing circles into Blaine's back.

"I still don't understand if it's that they don't love me…or…"

"Or?" Kurt echoes in gentle question.

"…or…or if they just don't know love at all. They certainly don't understand love, " Blaine adds with a deep sigh.

"Blaine?"

"Yes?"

"Want to leave?"

Blaine nods into Kurt's chest before both boys pull apart. Blaine feels a surprisingly strong reluctance on Kurt's side to let go completely as they have to to climb into Blaine's car.

And sure enough Kurt's left hand is back on Blaine's right upper thigh as soon as they are settled into their seats. Blaine appreciates the reassuring touch that makes Kurt's presence while Blaine's eyes have to stay on the road all the more real to his senses.

The whole drive back to Kurt's, a strained silence is filling the car, and Blaine cannot shake the feeling that Kurt wants to say something, has been itching to say something ever since Blaine stepped back out of his parent's house.

As they walk hand in hand inside the front door of their now shared home Kurt pulls Blaine into his embrace as soon as the door clicks shut behind them, and almost blurts out "I love you." Then pulls back and says it again, this time his eyes determinedly locked with Blaine's "I love you."

"I love you too," Blaine replies pulling Kurt deeper into his arms again and a moment later into a soft, gentle kiss. "Why were you so quiet on the drive here? Did I do or say something wrong?"

Kurt leans back in and kisses Blaine insistently until he feels the expression of confusion and worry leave Blaine's face and his features soften. Pulling away, eventually, and taking a deep breath, looking right at Blaine, Kurt says "I just couldn't get my mind to form any coherent thought but 'I love you so damn much and I am so proud of you.' I had to fight with myself to keep it in."

"But…why?" Blaine now does not look worried so much anymore as perplexed.

"I wanted to wait to say it somewhere where it really means something, and your parent's driveway just did not feel right, or on the road, or anywhere but here really, in _our_ home."

"Oh," Blaine answers surprised but smiling with tears in his eyes, but his eyes fuller still with love.

"I love you," Kurt repeats, "my brave bushy-haired boyfriend," running one hand happily through Blaine's free curls, hair finally having grown out longer over the time Blaine has already practically lived here.

He has left all his gel supplies behind in that house.

The boys are surprised by Burt and Carole coming in through the front door.

"Hey, boys," Burt says happily as he spots them.

"Did the move go alright?" Carole asks.

"Great," Blaine beams at Carole and Burt, already being pulled into a strong hug.

"Dad," Kurt stands there smiling, "You'll have to let go of my boyfriend some time."

"When you two leave for college in two years, how does that sound?"

"Daaaaaaad!" Kurt scolds playfully, while Blaine already says happily, "Sounds awesome."

Carole watching on is the first bursting out into loud laughter. Blaine's smile is the happiest she has ever seen him.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** This is not meant to be offensive in any way to any social workers out there, and I am sure most do a great job and care a really great deal, but there probably is the other side too, as with most things, especially since I understand social workers to be mostly overworked and therefore stressed beyond belief, which of course is not their fault, but part of a faulty system, like all manmade concepts are to some extent. What I am trying to say is, I have great respect for each and every one doing this job, and doing it well. You guys are desperately needed in a world this imperfect.

Also, I changed Blaine's age in this, **Blaine is of course 15** in this story (a year younger than he is on the show I think at this point). I don't know why I initially wrote 17, that never made any sense, and I have corrected it since.

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><p><strong>A Place To Be<strong>

Chapter 3

Never, not in a million years, did Blaine think his dad would come after him, not like this, with a court order stating he had to return to his parents' house being only 15.

For about two seconds Blaine feels flattered, flattered to be ... cared about, then the shock sets in, and all that remains is feeling, is being utterly petrified.

Blaine had thought the fight over, had hoped to finally be within reach of happiness. And then everything gets taken again.

"You have it good, boy," Blaine will never forget the day that man and woman from social services showed up at the Hummels' doorstep, "You don't know how good you have it."

And Blaine knows there and then his father has put on a show again, is taking pleasure in taking away what little Blaine had inwardly fought for so long. Blaine knows where Cooper learned acting, not the ridiculous advice about it he hands out, but the really just doing it part, which Cooper after all is good at, very good, he is a natural in front of the cameras, everyone has always said so since he started.

Only Blaine knows Cooper is not, he is not a natural. Cooper has had acting lessons from the day he was born ... watching their father putting on a show and calling it life.

And Blaine stands there wondering if Cooper knows, if Cooper allows himself to know how it is that he is who he is, how it is that Blaine, for so long now, can hardly stand being around him.

It is not because he does not love his brother, he does so, very much, but there are reminders with every look and more so every word Cooper utters. Blaine looks more like his mother and is doing everything he can not to look like his father, not to have to look at his father when he looks into the mirror. His bowties are just one thing that sets him apart in an unmistakable way from the people he cannot and cannot help love. That alone is confusing enough.

Blaine swallows hard every time Kurt points out something he loves about him that Blaine knows is there because his father is who he is, something that reminds Blaine of the man he is after all biologically related to.

With Cooper no one would even have to look for the similarities, they hit you square in the face. And even thinking about it now has Blaine's stomach churning harder because thinking of Cooper all he can see now is their father.

Blaine knows already his father will be standing there, smug grin on his face, when Blaine comes back in through the door of that house. "I can't go back there," Blaine whispers, hand blindly reaching for Kurt's who is standing right next to him, tears in his eyes.

"Blaine, if you can show me one mark on your body that your father has caused it is a different situation, but if he is not abusing you, he has done nothing wrong. And you are still a minor."

Blaine stands there, lips parted searching inside for words to describe how his father is brusing up his insides daily. But even as he finds one or two, he cannot push them past his lips. Everything he can think to say is instantly followed by the thought, 'They won't care about that.'

"Blaine, you have to come with us right now."

"Wait a minute!" Burt comes in through the front door, and now Kurt is breathing again – he had called his dad as soon as the social workers had shown up in their driveway – and Blaine is trying not to think of hope. 'It will only hurt more when he has to leave either way.

"You must be Mister Hummel," the woman says coldly, like Burt is the one who really has done something wrong in all of this.

"Like we are the ones doing wrong by Blaine here. The kid needed a roof over his head so we welcomed him into our home."

"That is not how the Andersons see it," the man from social services objects. "Mister Anderson says he is considering pressing charges against you for holding his son here against his will."

"That's not true," Blaine blurts out tears in his eyes now he knows his father is not only leaving him no choice but coming too after the people Blaine loves most. It is the moment he resigns. "I have to go with them." The words are cold, his voice hollow, and when Kurt holds him close Blaine tries to soak up as much of that warmth. And then his breath quickens and his insides turn harder and harder as he asks shaking, "What about schools? Can I transfer without my parents' permission?" The plan was for him to join Kurt at McKinley. He knows his father will never allow that now, not if it means he can keep them apart.

"You are 15? Right?" The man asks this time.

"Yes, 16 in February, ... next year" Blaine whispers, his birthday suddenly seeming so far away.

"Then no. Your parents get to decide where you attend school."

Blaine is turning out of Kurt's arms and throwing up on the woman's boots a second later.

She has a disgusted look on her face, the man rolling his eyes and taking a step back.

Kurt is kneeling with him on the floor within seconds and Burt comes back from the bathroom with a warm wet washcloth after a minute, "Kurt, Kiddo, why don't you take Blaine to clean up a little, maybe take a shower to calm his nerves. Make you some tea and toast Blaine? How does that sound?"

Blaine nods, still in tears but leaning on Kurt and getting on his feet again already.

As soon as the kids are out of earshot Burt turns to the two social workers, "I'll get something to clean this up and then we're talking this through again. Properly this time. I don't appreciate you jumping my kids like that when I'm at work."

"Blaine is not your 'kid'," the woman says with a clipped, annoyed voice.

"That boy is family to me, so watch what you're sayin'."


End file.
